


Angels in Gas Stations

by horangitale



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gangsters, Blood, Guns, Gunshot Wounds, Joshua is beautiful, M/M, soonyoung is in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-11 09:42:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28469226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/horangitale/pseuds/horangitale
Summary: He puts a hand on the wound that hurts the most and presses, grits his teeth as he feels his own blood coat his palm and run between his fingers.
Relationships: Hong Jisoo | Joshua/Kwon Soonyoung | Hoshi
Kudos: 16





	Angels in Gas Stations

Soonyoung’s body hits the pavement like a sack of bricks. Seungcheol had told him to wait for backup. Told him not to go alone. He’d been right. He was always right. Well, he was usually right. That didn’t matter now though. It was too late. Soonyoung listens to the raw rough peel of tires against the pavement, heart racing, and he lets his gun slip from his fingers as the red of the taillights disappear into the darkness. Breathing hurts. Everything hurts. He puts a hand on the wound that hurts the most and presses, grits his teeth as he feels his own blood coat his palm and run between his fingers. He lets his head fall back, feeling the thud of it dull and aching against the pavement and stares up at the sky, the sheer number of stars he is able to see proving just how far away from civilization he is. 

Soonyoung isn’t sure how long he lays there in the dark in the middle of the road to nothing. He only knows that he’s growing cold, whole body trembling, when he’s blinded by blazing white light, and he wonders for a moment if this is it. If he’s dead now. If this car is going to stop or plow right over him. He considers trying to get up but quickly realizes that he cannot feel his legs. The car jerks to a stop a meter or so away, and there’s a small sense of relief when Soonyoung realizes that he recognizes the car. Chan’s car. The passenger door swings open, and even cloaked in darkness Soonyoung recognizes the silhouette at once, relief washing over him as soon as the man steps out, coming close. 

Joshua looks like an angel backlit by the headlights of Chan’s car. He’s beautiful. Blinding. Soonyoung’s chest hurts for a reason completely separate from the holes punched through it. He’s talking, Soonyoung thinks. Joshua falls to his knees, leaning over Soonyoung, eyes wide and watery as he looks at him. Soonyoung pulls his hand from where it had been pressed fruitlessly to his own abdomen and reaches out, fingers grazing over Joshua’s. He’s warm. Soonyoung is so cold. The pavement is so cold. 

“We’re gonna get out of here. Chan—” Joshua’s leaned close enough that Soonyoung can make out the words, but he’s confused. Chan? That was Chan’s car. Was Chan here? But then Joshua is looking over Soonyoung, nodding and talking fast, and there are hands on either side of him, lifting him up, and his head feels light and his legs shake and his vision goes black. He hears Chan’s voice, sharp and scared, and he can’t really feel much outside of the sharp pains that wring through his chest with every inhale exhale inhale exhale. There’s a bullet pressed up against his rib and it feels funny there. Most of them had passed right through him but this one hadn’t. This one was hard and annoying like a seed stuck between teeth. 

He’s bathed in a softer light, warm and yellow, and he cracks his eyes open. Gentle, trembling fingers are brushing his hair off of his face, and even in that brief touch they’re warm. He’s sitting up now, in the backseat of Chan’s car, his black suit a deep void up against the tan leather seats, bright red blood smeared all over. His gun is resting carelessly half on his thigh, threatening to fall, the safety off. Joshua is crammed in next to him, leaned in close, and his hair is shining in the light, twinkling like tinsel, so pretty. He has a red streak on his cheekbone and across his earlobe and Soonyoung wants to wipe it off, but when he raises his own hand it’s trembling and dripping with red. 

Joshua grabs it, lacing his fingers together with Soonyoung’s despite the tacky slide and how messy his hand is. It strikes Soonyoung that the gesture is kind. His chest has an aching hole in it where his heart usually is. 

“Beautiful. You—” Soonyoung says, wanting to tell him about the pretty shine of his hair. Joshua’s eyes meet his, wide and shimmering in the soft yellow light. Soonyoung tilts his head so he can look better. His eyes are struggling to focus. He’s glad Joshua is here. 

There’s the sound of a door slamming closed, and the car goes dark. Chan is peering at him from the driver's seat, and though Soonyoung can’t see him, he seems scared. He wishes he could make it better but he doesn’t have the words, his tongue thick and heavy in his mouth. Joshua insists that Chan go, voice high and strained in urgency. The sound makes him want to feel anxious, but he doesn’t have the energy. He’s so tired. 

The car rumbles to life, and a sharp pain runs through his chest. A small whimper escapes his throat, and Joshua presses in close, and gives his hand a squeeze. The gun falls to the floor of the car with a clatter when the car turns, but it doesn’t matter. Usually Chan has the radio playing, but tonight the car is quiet save for the mechanical sounds of the engine and the wheels. 

Soonyoung slumps into Joshua’s shoulder, warm and solid underneath him. Joshua maneuvers their bodies so that Soonyoung is as comfortable as he can be, one hand still clutching Soonyoung’s own, the other pressed against one of the holes in Soonyoung’s chest. His breathing is quick in Soonyoung’s ear, and Soonyoung’s gaping heart aches for him. 

Soonyoung’s eyelids sag, heavy. He’s so cold, and Joshua is warm. Joshua is warm and sweet, his pretty voice soft and close, just for Soonyoung. 

“It’s okay. You’re okay. Chan is going to take us somewhere safe, and you’ll be taken care of. You just have to make it back to our territory. You’re okay. It’s all going to be fine.” He says the lies with kindness, but he cannot keep the truth from his face. It doesn’t matter. Soonyoung knows. Soonyoung had figured it out while he’d been lying there flat on his back, looking up at the stars.

Soonyoung has never really believed in a God, or angels, but now he thinks that they must exist. Because Joshua is perfect. He must be something more than Soonyoung is. Something more than human. He’s warm and he’s sweet and he’s beautiful, even with the red marring his skin. He shines ethereal whenever they pass a motel or a gas station, lit up in a quick heart stopping flash, his cheeks shining with tears, lips pink where he must have been biting them, hair still so sparkly. The lights of places they pass by are bright and warm and striking, blurred yellow white lines streaked across Soonyoung’s vision, illuminating Joshua and swirling around and through him as if he was light made whole.

Soonyoung is quiet, the effort of keeping his eyes open all he can muster. Despite that Joshua doesn’t stop speaking. It’s only when Soonyoung tears his eyes away from the mesmerizing flash of lights dancing across Joshua’s skin to really focus on his face that Joshua falls silent, a shuddering inhale making him tremble, a tear rolling wet and glistening down his cheek. He’s everything. He stares for a long moment, and Soonyoung wonders what he sees, his heart beating faster, working harder, like it always had when Joshua focused his attention solely on him.

Joshua leans in, pressing a kiss to Soonyoung’s lips, his hand squeezing Soonyoung’s tightly, a choked off sob falling from his lips before he silences it against Soonyoung’s mouth. It is soft and slow, and Soonyoung feels him trembling, tastes his tears, but it’s good. It’s perfect. Joshua is nothing if not good, and when he pulls away and looks in Soonyoung’s eyes Soonyoung pulls his lips up in a smile. It’s not enough but he wants Joshua to see, wants Joshua to know. To understand. 

Soonyoung is still so cold. He tries to lean in closer, and Joshua pulls him in so his head is resting on Joshua’s stomach, his big, wet eyes on Soonyoung’s own. Soonyoung is able to feel every shuddering breath, able to hear the pounding rhythm of Joshua's heart. His body is so heavy. His eyelids are so heavy. Joshua is still murmuring to him but he can’t make out the words. Joshua is lit up briefly in the yellow light of a street lamp, and he looks afraid. 

Soonyoung wants to tell him it’s okay. Wants to hold him. His arms won’t move. He can’t even open his mouth. He lets his eyes flutter shut. Feels Joshua’s grip on his hand tighten. He cannot grip back. He listens to the beating of Joshua’s heart until he cannot hear it anymore.

**Author's Note:**

> I've never written Seventeen before so hopefully I didn't do too poorly! The Joshua/Hoshi ship is completely underrated, and I intend to try and change that! Maybe next time with something a little lighter.


End file.
